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Wounded soldier makes his run on two new feet

Soldier Jody Mitic lost his feet in Afghanistan but finished a sun-splashed 5-kilometre run yesterday in downtown Toronto on heart.

Jody Mitic, who lost his legs below the knee in a mine explosion in Afghanistan, runs on carbon-fibre prostheses yesterday. (JIM WILKES / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Jim WilkesSTAFF REPORTER

Mon., March 16, 2009

Soldier Jody Mitic lost his feet in Afghanistan but finished a sun-splashed 5-kilometre run yesterday in downtown Toronto on heart.

Heart, friendship and flexible carbon-fibre prostheses.

The 32-year-old master corporal with the Petawawa-based Royal Canadian Regiment First Battalion led a 120-strong team of runners hoping to raise more than $100,000 for St. John's Rehab Hospital in the 10th annual Achilles Canada St. Patrick's Day run.

It was at the hospital where Mitic learned to walk again and recovered from horrible injuries he suffered when he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan as his sniper team embarked on a night mission in January 2007.

Mitic was among 1,800 people who ran or walked the route that began and ended near the Rogers Centre. The run is the largest fundraiser of the year for Achilles, a charity and track club for disabled athletes. Last year's run raised more than $100,000, more than $65,000 of which went to other charities, including St. John's.

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Brian McLean, president of Achilles Canada, is legally blind and said he's inspired by the efforts of athletes like Mitic, who rise above personal losses to remain active.

"It doesn't matter how fast a runner you are or how slow a walker you are, we're all out here to have fun," he said.

Mitic, who bounced along on his prosthetic feet and lower legs, said he had some pain from ongoing problems in his right leg.

"It just hit me a little hard at the halfway point, but whatever, it's only 5K, right?" he said with a grin, happy to see his 6-month-old daughter, Aylah, at the end of the race.

He trimmed about five minutes from his personal best last year of 45 minutes and ran alongside other soldiers, amputees, family members and hospital staff.

Among them was Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's chief of defence staff, who said Mitic's "courage to bounce back" was an inspiration to all military personnel.

"It speaks to his spirit, his strength of character, his leadership – that he could organize this kind of thing – and inspire everybody else," Natynczyk said. "It's the Canadian character. When times are tough we just suck it up and get going. We put our game faces on and do not feel sorry for ourselves."

Natynczyk said that despite Mitic's double amputation, he could return to active duty if he passed a series of tests, including demonstrations he could run, lift and jump.

"Why would you hold back a leader like that?" he said.

Mitic said his goal is to rejoin his fellow soldiers back in Afghanistan.

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